June Viola Timpano Tsirgiotis' Obituary
June Viola Timpano Tsirgiotis, age 91, passed away March 13th, 2022 at home, surrounded by family.
She was born to Hortense and P. Albert Timpano on April 24th, 1930 in Orange, New Jersey. When she was a small child, her family moved to Queens, New York, first living in Queens Village, then in Rosedale. June lived in the Rosedale home for almost 60 years.
After graduating from Dominican Commercial High School, June studied education at Hofstra, graduating with a B.A. degree. She taught in several school districts on Long Island, and attended night classes at Hofstra to earn her Master of Science in Education.
After 9 years of teaching second grade, June went on sabbatical to Europe for a year. Having been to Europe twice before, she understood the impact her travels would have on her worldview, and consequently, on her teaching. During that year, she visited England, Spain, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Greece. When she particularly enjoyed a place, she would stay as long as she wanted. She met many friends in her travels, and stayed in touch with some for many years.
In Greece, she met her husband, George Tsirgiotis. They married 3 months later on September 10th, 1963, and settled in her Rosedale home. In 1965, June welcomed a daughter, Angelica Catherine. In 1967, George Albert arrived. Christopher Alexander completed the family in 1969.
In 1972, the family moved to Greece for 3&1/2 years, first living in Voula, and then Glyfada. June spent her time there working as a teacher’s aide at the school on the Hellenikon Airbase, and as a homemaker, going to the open air market to buy groceries every week, with her daughter acting as translator. While in Greece, June gave her life to Christ and was baptized in the Mediterranean.
After her children had grown up and moved away, June moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1995, to be close to family. She cared for infants in their homes, as a nanny, until retiring to care for her grandsons.
Welcoming June into heaven are her parents, one brother; Patrick Timpano, granddaughters Phoebe and Lani, and her husband George.
Survivors include Angelica Chilton and husband Clint of Hillsboro, Texas; George Tsirgiotis and wife Cathlyn of Memphis, Tennessee; Chris Tsirgiotis and wife Lisa of Monrovia, California; grandchildren Julie Caudle (Michael), Jesse Chilton (Brittany), Joshua Chilton, Alexander Tsirgiotis, Nicholas Tsirgiotis, Xanthe Tsirgiotis, Daphne Tsirgiotis, and Luke Tsirgiotis. Also left to cherish her memory are two great-grandchildren, Angelica-Grace Caudle and Emma-Kate Caudle.
A private memorial service will be held at a later date in New York. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s hospital in Memphis.
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